Oklahoma, 2026

Hail in Oklahoma, April 29, 2026

April 29, 2026 · NWS SHV · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A broad area of mostly elevated strong to severe thunderstorms developed and shifted southward across Southeast Oklahoma into the Ark-La-Tex along an advancing cold front throughout the day on April 29th. Modest low-level warm air advection atop a slightly stable, near-surface layer managed to sustain the convection within a more moderately unstable and strongly sheared environment aloft.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS SHV wrote it up.

A broad area of mostly elevated strong to severe thunderstorms developed and shifted southward across Southeast Oklahoma into the Ark-La-Tex along an advancing cold front throughout the day on April 29th. Modest low-level warm air advection atop a slightly stable, near-surface layer managed to sustain the convection within a more moderately unstable and strongly sheared environment aloft. As a result, the environment remained favorable for embedded supercell structures capable of large hail. Given the relatively closer proximity of the southernmost storms to the surface front, the threat for severe wind gusts also continued southeast toward the boundary. However, only a single report of large hail was recorded in McCurtain County around Idabel behind the cold front.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 29, 12:24 PM CST, 4 hours 3 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Issued at 1033 AM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026
  • Some strong to severe storms are expected this afternoon and evening, turning to widespread showers overnight.
  • Continued rainfall over the next several days could raise some potential flash and urban flooding concerns.
  • Rain is expected to end by early Saturday, with a quiet and cooler than average weekend to follow, then a warm-up into early next week.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 29, 12:24 PM CST, 4 hours 3 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
124 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 1033 AM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

 - Some strong to severe storms are expected this afternoon and
   evening, turning to widespread showers overnight.

 - Continued rainfall over the next several days could raise some
   potential flash and urban flooding concerns.

 - Rain is expected to end by early Saturday, with a quiet and
   cooler than average weekend to follow, then a warm-up into
   early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1033 AM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

At the time of writing, convection is initiating behind the cold
front stretching from Deep East TX to north central LA. While
forcing is relatively weak, the environment is conducive enough to
produce severe hazards should any storms get started. The greatest
instability is south of the cold front, with SPC mesoanalysis
suggesting 2000+ J/kg of MLCAPE is present in this area. Plenty of
low-level moisture and steep lapse rates across the entire region could
contribute to severe hazards, mainly large hail. Damaging winds
are also a possibility with some tornado threat that is mainly for
our far southern zones, where sfc convection is more likely to
develop. These storms should weaken going into the overnight
hours with the loss of daytime heating and leave nonsevere showers
and thunderstorms behind through Thursday morning. It should be
noted that CAM output over the past several days has overperformed
and that is being taken into account here. However, the
environment warrants some caution, especially if storms continue
to initiate.

By tomorrow morning, the cold front should have pushed
southeastward through the region, bringing afternoon high
temperatures down into the 60s and low 70s. Showers will be quick
to spread back northward late Thursday morning and continue
through Saturday morning. This extended period of rain looks like
it will be nonsevere and bring an additional 1-3 inches of rain to
the Ark-La-Tx. Despite being under drought recently, WPC is
highlighting much of the area as being at risk of flash and urban
flooding, especially on Friday. Temperatures could dip into the
50s and 60s on Friday before the rain ends on Saturday and allows
another warming trend to begin this weekend.

Conditions look to stay dry through the weekend and into the first
part of next week. Temperatures should climb back into the 80s by
Wednesday before a shortwave trough moves through and brings rain
chances back into the forecast.

57

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1252 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

For the ArkLaTex terminals, Fropa now for all sites except KLFK
with still a light SE wind. Northerly winds vary from NW to NE at
5-15KT. MVFR Cigs may at times touch IFR with showers and
thunderstorms running along the upper level front with a large
hail threat through this evening. Pattern will continue W to E
with a large fetch of Pacific moisture running over the frontal
boundary hanging around for a couple of days, followed by a
secondary boundary arriving late Friday. The weekend will be VFR.
/24/

&&

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Issued at 1222 AM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

Spotter activation will likely be needed again this afternoon
through tonight for the threat of severe thunderstorms across the
region.

/26/

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SHV  61  68  54  58 /  70  50  70  80
MLU  59  71  55  59 /  80  40  60  80
DEQ  53  68  50  62 /  20  20  30  50
TXK  58  69  54  60 /  50  30  40  60
ELD  55  69  51  60 /  60  30  50  70
TYR  61  67  54  57 /  70  60  80  90
GGG  60  67  53  58 /  70  60  80  90
LFK  64  71  57  59 /  70  60  80 100

&&

.SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...None.
LA...None.
OK...None.
TX...None.
&&

DISCUSSION...57
AVIATION...24

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 29, 3:16 PM CST, 1 hour 11 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
416 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0310 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 NNE Grayson           32.07N 92.09W
04/29/2026                   Caldwell           LA   911 Call Center

            Law Enforcement reports a large limb on a
            house on Rushing Street in Columbia.

&&

CK
Local storm report, Apr 29, 3:20 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
420 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0223 PM     Hail             8 SSE Downsville        32.52N 92.36W
04/29/2026  E1.00 Inch       Ouachita           LA   Law Enforcement

            Law Enforecement reports quarter size hail
            around Calhoun.

&&

CK
Local storm report, Apr 29, 3:27 PM CST, 1 hour before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
427 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0205 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     5 ESE Farmerville       32.75N 92.31W
04/29/2026                   Union              LA   911 Call Center

            911 Call Center reports a tree down at the
            intersection of Skyline Drive and Highway 2.

&&

CK
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 3:47 PM CST, 40 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
447 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

OKZ077-TXZ096-292230-
McCurtain OK-Red River TX-
447 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN RED RIVER AND
SOUTHWESTERN MCCURTAIN COUNTIES UNTIL 530 PM CDT...

At 447 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles northwest of Bagwell, or 16 miles northwest of Clarksville,
moving east northeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.

Locations impacted include...
  Idabel, Manchester, Detroit, Albion, Silver City, Negley, Farmers
  Hill, Bryarly, Kiomatia, Kanawha and Woodland.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

&&

LAT...LON 3365 9531 3386 9531 3398 9481 3378 9470
TIME...MOT...LOC 2146Z 250DEG 35KT 3375 9528

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH

15
Local storm report, Apr 29, 4:07 PM CST, 20 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
507 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0454 PM     Hail             Bullard                 32.14N 95.32W
04/29/2026  E1.75 Inch       Smith              TX   Broadcast Media

            Reports from broadcast media of quarter size
            to golf ball size hail around Bullard.
            Quarter size hail was reported east of US 69
            along FM 344.

&&

CK
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 4:27 PM CST, 0 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
527 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

ARZ050-059-OKZ077-292300-
Little River AR-Sevier AR-McCurtain OK-
527 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN LITTLE RIVER...
NORTHWESTERN SEVIER AND SOUTHEASTERN MCCURTAIN COUNTIES UNTIL 6 PM
CDT...

At 527 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Idabel, or 24 miles northeast of Clarksville, moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 30 mph and half inch size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
  De Queen, Horatio, Idabel, Haworth, Goodwater, Eagletown,
  Cerrogordo, Shinewell, West Line and West Otis.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

&&

LAT...LON 3380 9488 3392 9495 3414 9438 3387 9429
TIME...MOT...LOC 2227Z 252DEG 36KT 3388 9480

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH

09

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 160 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:26 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, McCurtain

When
April 29, 4:27 PM CST
Where
McCurtain County, 0.57 mi E of Idabel
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.900, -94.820

Quarter size hail reported in Idabel.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, April 2026

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1332368.